Kickboards, fins, paddles, pull floats, flotation belts, water noodles, aquatic dumbbells and wrist or ankle weights are a few of the devices that are available for swimmers, triathletes or anyone undergoing injury rehabilitation to improve fitness without stressing their joints too much. Most of the items are made of dense foam material, which is buoyant in the water. There are also special rubberized slippers you can wear while exercising in a pool or lake. In some spas and gyms with pools, there are classes for group workouts using these training devices.
What to Look for
A kickboard immobilizes your arms while kicking underwater to improve cardiovascular fitness in a pool. Similarly, pull floats immobilize your legs while you are afloat so you can exercise your arms. Fins can be used to give you a more powerful kick while swimming and to work out your legs. A floatation belt or water noodle made of foam keeps you upright and is excellent for those who want to tread water to improve cardiovascular fitness. You can use water dumbbells and ankle or arm weights to do the same strength-training exercises you do out of the water, but because your body is lighter in the water, you do not hurt sore muscles, ligaments or tendons. All items can be found in sporting goods stores and specialized retailers and cost $8 to $20 for kickboards, noodles and weights, and $14 to $50 for floatation belts.
Common Pitfalls
Be sure to learn to use the training devices correctly, especially weights and dumbbells. You need to spend time warming up by treading water, kicking or swimming before doing a full cardiovascular workout in the water. It is smart to consult your physician before starting a water training program on your own. The American Council on Exercise says that "in the water, heart rate will be reduced by as much as 17 beats per minute when compared to land exercise. That's why it's so important to pay attention to how you feel. Your heart rate might indicate that your intensity is too low when you are actually exercising quite strenuously."
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